Feline House Soiling: Causes and Corrections

Cats show a variety of elimination behaviors, many which are learned as kittens from the queen or mother cat. Around four weeks of age, kittens can be seen playing in and eating their litter or dirt. This is a normal exploratory phase occurring a few days prior to their appropriate use of the litter box. Litter box use is generally regarded as learned by observing the queen’s actions.

Adult cats have two normal elimination postures. In most instances, the cat assumes a deep squatting posture, almost a sitting position, over a shallow hole it just dug in soft dirt. The tail extends behind the cat but slightly off the ground. Urine or feces is directed downward. When urination or defecation is complete the cat will stand, turn around, and rake dirt back over the area. It is felt that earth raking, once learned, is evoked by the odor of excreta. A second adult posture is used for spraying urine onto vertical objects. In this case, the cat backs up to the object to be sprayed, extends its tail upward, often quivering it, and slightly extends its rear limbs before urination. Although spraying is used more by tomcats, females and neutered males will also use the behavior if there is a strong territorial threat, usually stimulated by the sight or sound of strange cats in their environment.

House soiling is a major complaint among cat owners and a detailed history of what and when the cat is house soiling is very important in determining the underlying cause. In all cases, there are some facts which owners should know in order to prevent the problem from becoming worse. Do not clean soiled areas with ammonia or ammonia-based products since its residual smell can mimic the ammonia of urine. It is also important to emphasize that because of the cat’s keen sense of smell, cleaning will not necessarily eliminate the total urine or feces odor that the cat can detect, but just the part that is objectionable to humans. Another important piece of case history involves the duration of the problem. The longer the house soiling has been going on, the more difficult it will be to correct.

When the problem presents as defecations or squatting urinations outside the litter box, other questions become important.

Did the cat ever use the litter box? If not, success in teaching it to do so is unlikely.

Is the cat using the litter box for either defecation or urination but not both? This piece of history will often imply that some form of mild pain may have been associated with a problem elimination such as bladder inflammation or mild, undetected constipation. Apparently, cats associate pain with locations and will often move to a new elimination spot, often near the old one.

Was the cat accidentally prevented from getting to the box such as when a door to the bathroom was closed for a few days? The cat may then pick a new spot for elimination and stop using the old one.

If the cat is only soiling a single spot, have the owners move the box to that spot or place a second litter box at the chosen site. Eventually, the new box can be relocated, a few inches per day to a new, more acceptable location.

Is the spot used immediately beside the old box? A box that is too small or shallow may result in urination posturing that can cause the animal to miss the litter. A larger box (such as a 32 quart plastic storage container), or one with higher sides, may stop the problem.

Is the cat not using the litter box for urination or defecation? An unclean litter box can also have this effect. Some cats are so fastidious that any urine or stool is enough to cause them to not use the once-soiled box at all and break training. The litterbox should be scooped daily and totally changed at least every week. The litterbox should be replaced yearly, as the plastic box can hold odors.

Has there been a recent change in the type of litter used? For many animals a sudden change in the type and brand of litter used can cause them to stop using the litter box. Chlorophyll litters have a repelling quality to some cats. Some cats prefer scoopable litters, while others prefer plain old clay litter.

In long standing problems, the cat may literally need to relearn use of the litter box. Granted, the following procedure is extreme, but often is the only alternative. The cat, food, water, bed and litter box are confined to a small room such as a utility room or bathroom. At first, the entire floor except where the cat eats and sleeps is covered with a light sprinkling of litter. The cat has to go on litter. After a few days, one fourth of the floor is uncovered. As the cat consistently uses the litter covered area, the size is gradually decreased until only the litter box remains. Gradually, the cat is then re-introduced to the rest of the house.

House soiling that involves vertical spraying of areas within the home usually indicates a behavioral frustration associated with a change in the environment, such as the addition of a new cat, dog or person to the household. Problems of this nature are more common in the spring and fall when the tomcat population is most mobile. Ideally it is best to remove the source of frustration; however, this is not always practical and alternatives must be sought. Urine spots near windows or doors generally indicate a problem associated with some type of stimulus coming from the outdoors. Roaming outdoor cats, recent confinement to a section of the house, addition of a new pet; all are examples of “challenges” to the cat’s territory. Since this type of spraying tends to be more seasonal, keeping the cat away from the area where it can see or hear roaming tomcats is often sufficient to stop the problem until the spring breeding season is over.

Spraying type urinations that are not located near doors or windows are usually associated with stresses within the house. The person with a multiple cat household may actually be able to have several animals living in harmony, but when one more is added, spraying starts. An older house cat which has never had to live with other cats may start the problem when a new cat is adopted. This type of social pressure can be countered in several ways. Since “crowding” is a problem with cats, isolation of the newcomer in a room of its own may allow the group to become accustomed to its odor before confrontations are severe. Slowly introduce the new member to the household and keep in mind that another litter box may need to be added, giving all members of the feline household a comfortable place to soil.

When spraying is associated with the belongings and space of one specific person, another type of stress occurs. It is not uncommon for cats to soil that person’s bed, backpack or laundry. Have that person feed or positively interact with the animal involved. Negative behaviors like spraying tend to widen the gap between the person and the pet, and that, in turn, tends to complicate the problem.

Feliway has often been helpful with cats that are spraying or not using the litterbox appropriately. It is a feline pheromone that helps cats to be calm in their own environment. It is a natural substance that cats produce and has been manufactured into a spray and a plug-in diffuser.

Lastly, anti-anxiety medications can be useful in some situations to minimize the behavioral “anxieties” that lead to house soiling. These are usually not successful as permanent or sole forms of therapy, but must be incorporated with litter box tips and behavioral modification as outlined above. Keep in mind that time, patience and diligence all go a long way in controlling this frustrating problem.

Please call 757-473-0111 if you have any questions.